Page 29 of Bless This Hot Mess

Rebekkah stood silent for a moment, her lips pressed together in a thin line, “How are we supposed to believe when it’sso hard? What is supposed to be happening right now?”

Japheth’s shoulders slumped, “Certainly not this!”

“Certainly!” Rebekkah echoed, her voice full of exasperation. “Japheth, is it really over?”

“We tried,” Japheth said softly. “We begged.”

“We pleaded!” Rebekkah added, throwing her hands up dramatically.

“Weperformed!” Japheth added. After a few moments of silence, he sighed, “I’ve gotta go. I have a shift at Saddles ‘n’ Spurs at five.”

Rebekkah’s eyes widened, and she grabbed his arm, “Don’t go. Maybe we’re not meant to have a radio show, or drive a Kia Rio, but we areabsolutelymeant to be famous. I donotwant you to spend the rest of your life serving jalapeño-infused fried chicken.”

Japheth looked down at his feet. “I don’t wanna spend the rest of my life serving jalapeño-infused…”

“Here’s what we’re gonna do,” Rebekkah cut him off, her voice full of determination. “We’re gonna go home, we’re gonna pack a bag, and we’re gonna meet at the bus station tomorrow evening for a red-eye roll-out. And we’re gonna pick a destination. Nashville! Halifax! Red Deer! Toronto!”

Japheth’s eyes brightened, a flickerof hope returning. “Los Angeles!”

“Anywhere but Greater Napanee and the Land O’Lakes region,” Rebekkah declared, her face set with resolve. “Somewhere where peopleappreciateus and our talent. And somewhere far,far, away from where God can play His little tricks with our lives. I wanna get off this merry-go-round.”

Japheth nodded, feeling the weight lift slightly, “Me too, Rebekkah. Me too.”

The basketball court had fallen silent now, save for the distant sounds of birds chirping and the faint rustling of leaves in the late afternoon breeze. Despite their disappointment, a plan was forming and with Rebekkah at his side, Japheth knew they wouldn’t stop until they found their place in the spotlight.

Chapter 4

Not Short Where It Counts

For Ronald, it wasn’t the height of the hoop that was the problem, it was the people expecting him to jump through it.

The bus station’s orange, fluorescent lights flickered erratically, casting a sickly glow over the worn pavement. The scent of burnt coffee, rubber tires, and distant exhaust filled the cool evening air, while passengers boarding and disembarking laden with luggage murmured and lingered like Autumn bees.

The chilled evening air nipped at exposed skin, making Rebekkah pull her shawl tighter around her shoulders, while Japheth buttoned up his jacket, feeling the unease of waiting stretch into discomfort. Despite the bustling of the bus stop, the atmosphere felt heavy, almost stagnant, as if the weight of unrealized dreams hung over everyone here.

Rebekkah sat on a rusty bench with Japheth beside her, the metal cool and uncomfortable beneath them. They both fidgeted with anticipation, their breath visible in the cool early Fall air. They had dressed for the occasion, well, asdressed as two people could be when they weren’t sure whether they were leaving their hometown for good, or just trying on the feeling of leaving and seeing if anyone would notice. Rebekkah wore a whimsical purple beret that clashed slightly with her oversized military-style coat, which draped over a floral dress that looked like something from a Renaissance fair, and combat boots. Her large hoop earrings caught and released the glow of the streetlight.

Beside her, Japheth looked like he had raided a thrift store blindfolded, wearing a mismatched red corduroy jacket that was a little too tight, paired with an old orange ‘80s band tee that was aggressively tucked into his baggy jeans which had pockets sewn onto the front that travelled from his hips to the tongues of his boots. What such deep pockets would carry or how one would retrieve their contents once deposited was anyone’s guess. His hair was carefully tousled, trying (and failing) to appear effortlessly cool as the effort was evident.

Across the station, the bus sat idling, passengers chatting and disembarking while Rebekkah and Japheth wrestled with the most critical decision of their lives.

“So, what’s it gonna be, Japheth? Toronto, or Los Angeles?” Rebekkah asked, her voice laced with excitement and uncertainty.

Japheth furrowed his brow, the tension clear on his face, “I honestly can’t decide. Toronto’s only three hours away; we could start our new life by morning.”

Rebekkah nodded, “True, and with Los Angeles, we’re delaying the rise of our stardom by three, maybe even four days.”

He bit his lip, weighing the options, “But are we likely to meetmorepeople on a three, maybe four-day bus ride and have more opportunities to chat about Jesus?”

Rebekkah glanced sideways at him, “There’s that. But areyou still keen to singHispraises? I mean, He’s why we’re skipping town.”

Japheth sighed deeply, his fingers playing his corduroy jacket musically and revealing his nerves, “Thereisthat.”

Rebekkah leaned back against the bench, “I know God gets really quiet sometimes. It’s super hard to hear Him. Sometimes, I even wonder if He’s there at all.”

Japheth’s eyes widened in surprise, “Are you having doubts?”

“With my faith?” Rebekkah asked, her voice steady but reflective. “Or, that we should be getting on a bus out of Greater Napanee and the Land O’Lakes region?”